


Do You Remember

by Spunky89



Series: A Domestic(ish) Life [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-06
Updated: 2019-09-09
Packaged: 2020-06-22 07:52:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19663009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spunky89/pseuds/Spunky89
Summary: When the reader can't fall asleep, she thinks back to the little moments that lead to where she is.





	1. The Day That Started it All

It was late one night, you had been struggling to fall asleep, even with your boys curling around you, and you were left alone with your thoughts. You managed to (somehow) sneak out of the bed with minor mumbling from the boys, who shifted to cuddle more with each other in your absence. Once you were sure they were asleep, you snuck out of the room and took to the ottoman in the living room that looked out over the city. The lights, the passing cars, the people, and the general noise of the city made for a great background to your thoughts. Somehow your thoughts wandered to the day you met Steve, and how much your life had changed since then.  
********  
Being in a supermarket was always an interesting experience for you. There were all kinds of people who were just going about their day just as you were. One thing you hated though was how wrapped up in their own world everyone was. People had a tendency to pay more attention to their own little world than the one around them. It bothered you but you were the worst at talking to people so you just dealt with it. As you were cutting down the soup aisle you saw a man standing in front of the soups with one in his hand, his brow furrowed, looking completely lost. You were almost gonna just walk past (hating how most men of your generation seemed to never understand cooking in the slightest and had no desire to learn) but you felt bad. He looked truly confused and you liked to try to be a kind person, so maybe the person you helped would pass on the good act.   
“If I were you I would get (favorite brand), their soup is superior in my opinion.” You said as you walked up to the man. He seemed shocked that someone was talking to him.  
“Oh um, thank you.” He mumbled trying not to look at you.  
“You looking for something in particular? You look pretty lost,” You pointed out.  
He sighed and when he looked up at you, you realized that you recognized him from the internet. Captain America. It made sense why he was so confused. He’d only been in the 21st century 8 months or so from what little the news told you.   
“No ma’am, just trying to decide which I want. But thank you,” he said.  
“Well, if you’d prefer something that tastes less processed, I wouldn’t recommend canned soup.” You didn’t want to push. But now your heart broke for the poor man. He was uprooted from the life he knew and shoved into this new and probably very confusing one.  
“Am I that obvious?” He asked.  
“No, most people don’t pay attention to anyone but themselves, but I try to be a bit more aware. And you seemed to be struggling. Now I guess I know why.”  
He sighed and said, “I assume you want a picture?”   
“What-oh no. I just genuinely wanted to help, even before I put two and two together.” You assured.  
“That’s a first in a while.” He said.  
“Yeah, unfortunately, people kinda suck this day and age.” You said. He smiled a little bit at that.  
“So, if you want something that’s more like what I’m sure you’re used to, I’d make it yourself or get this one.” You said as you lead him down the aisle a bit. 

After about half an hour you had helped him to gather the necessary ingredients as well as showed him a good recipe on his phone for chicken soup.  
“Thank you very much miss, it was awfully kind of you to help.” He said.  
“Well, I believe in good karma as well as bad. I like to think that every good thing I might do could change someone's life for the better. Even the littlest things such as helping someone pick out a good soup.” You smiled.  
“Well, I hope the good karma gets back to you.”  
“That’s not why I do it. My momma always taught me that you don’t do a good thing to be recognized for it, you do it to be a good person.” You said.  
“Your mother sounds very wise.” He remarked.  
“She is.” You said, a smile on your face. As you realized that he must not have anyone willing to help him if he was this appreciative over something so small. You dug into your purse and pulled out one of your business cards and a pen. You wrote your cell on the back and handed it to him.  
“This is my cellphone number and my email, I’m here if you need more help. Or not. It’s your choice. But don’t hesitate to reach out if you need more help figuring out this crazy world that is the 21st century.” You said. He looked at it and furrowed his eyebrows.  
“Thank you, really.”   
“Don’t sweat it. Have a great day and good luck with the soup.” You said as you walk away from him to go about your day.   
A few hours later you got a text from an unknown number, thanking you for the soup recipe. It was followed by an inquiry about other recipes and a cooking lesson.


	2. Who We Really Are

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and you start getting to know each other and find that friendship is inevitable.

It was about a week after their meeting in the grocery store that you finally managed to put aside some time to meet up with Steve again. He'd been so sweet when he texted you, though he more often called as he preferred it to trying to type on his phone. You didn't blame him and happily talked to him when you had a spare moment.   
Deciding to meet at your apartment, you went out the day before and got all the ingredients for one of your favorite meals (after checking with Steve who of course said he was fine with whatever you chose) as well as making sure you had the supplies for a dessert. You cleaned your whole apartment and made sure to download some songs of the 30s, 40s, and 50s. You wanted him to be comfortable but not be too nostalgic that he got upset. You finished all of your preparations in time to still put on a light face of makeup (for yourself, you would never get dressed up or put makeup on for anyone except yourself). You did choose to stay in comfy clothes as you knew you'd just get flour and other ingredients all over anything you put on.   
Steve was as punctual as you'd expected. When you opened your door he was holding a small bouquet of flowers and was smiling shyly at you.   
"You didn't have to get me flowers, Steve."  
"I felt bad that I wasn't bringing anything and it's polite to give your host a gift." He said, rubbing the back of his neck.  
"Well, they're beautiful. Come on in." You smiled as you took the flowers from him. You opened the door more and stepped back to allow him to enter.  
"I got all the ingredients out on the counter already. You can leave your shoes by the door and just throw your jacket… on the couch I guess." You said, realizing that you didn't have any room on the rack by the door.   
“I hate that you got everything ready yourself. You should have let me get what was needed for tonight.”  
“It's fine. I had to go shopping anyway, I’ve been living off of take out for the last three days.” You said.  
“That doesn’t seem healthy.”  
“Its not, but alas, I was too lazy to go shopping after work so…”  
“What are we making first?” Steve asked eagerly.  
“I’m glad you asked.” You then launched into an explanation of the prep work that needed to be done, what kind of ingredients could be substituted, how long it kept in the fridge, and other useful facts he might need to know. You also taught him the basics of how to cut out a lot of the work by getting the ready-made stuff from the store. It didn’t taste as good, but sometimes function and lack of time called for it. Once the bulk of the prep was done and the meal was left to sit for a few minutes, you grabbed a bottle of wine and two glasses.   
“I have a weird question, which like I don’t want you to take weird or anything, but I’m just curious-”  
“No, I can’t get drunk.” He said with a slight laugh.  
“How did you know I was gonna ask that?”   
“Because you’re holding a bottle of wine. It was an educated guess.”  
“Fair point.”

The two of you laughed and chatted all through the evening. You got food everywhere and it was gonna be hell in the morning, but in the moment you hadn’t a care. He was sweet but not too sweet in the way it made him seem like he had an ulterior motive. It was nice to have a guy friend who wasn’t looking for a screw.  
You got to know Steve, not Captain America, a man idolized by the world and taught in grade school. And he was much different than you’d expected. Not in a bad way. But more in the way that as he got more comfortable, the more human he became, the less like his ‘america’s golden boy’ persona. He was much more at ease, and a little funnier, and boy did he have stories to tell. And you learned more and more of them as your dinner nights became a weekly thing, then a twice a week thing, then a whenever you were both free thing. The two of you became the best of friends almost overnight.   
Steve was happy to have someone to rely on and talk to. You were the only person he felt he could go to with questions about the 21st century and know you weren’t going to tease him or get exasperated and be frustrated the whole time. You loved to help him and teach him about the world you lived in, just as you loved hearing and learning about the world as it was when he was growing up. He found solace in you. A mere regular citizen who gave him a sense of belonging in a world where he felt so out of place.


	3. Stress Baking

As your mind whirls through memories of Steve and how your life has become what it is, you stop on a memory that stands very clear. The days leading up to, and the day you met bucky for the first time. You can remember how nervous Steve was and how much you had to reassure him. Steve was so worried that you’d be like everyone else (though he knew deep in his heart you are unlike anyone he’d ever met) and be fearful and resentful of Bucky. Oh if you could go back and tell Steve where you all would end up in just a little over a year.   
\-----------------------  
Steve had been searching for Bucky for a little over a year now. The rest of the Avengers had been doing their best to help but there was only so much that could be done to track one of the greatest assassins in the world whose whole MO was being a ghost. You can remember all the days Natasha had called you before the jet even landed that the mission was a failure and Steve was upset. You spent many a night with him, reassuring him, just being there for him through this tough time.   
But now he’d found Bucky. And though he was thrilled, he was also worried. The Bucky he found wasn’t the same Bucky he grew up with, and Steve was worried he would never get his best friend back.   
After a few weeks of psychiatric visits and physical testing, Steve came over your apartment one day and told you how restless Bucky was becoming. Bucky hated all the tests and only cooperated out of necessity. But Steve knew if he didn’t jailbreak Bucky soon, Bucky would sneak out himself. Bucky still wasn’t great around mass amounts of people so he was worried to take him out of the tower. Steve felt stuck, so you offered a solution.  
“Why don’t you bring him here then?” You asked, drinking your coffee calmly.  
“No, it’s too risky,” Steve said, his eyes tired but his voice firm.  
“Why not? It’s relatively quiet, but not too far from the tower. It’s perfect. Hell, I’ll even leave if it’ll make you and him more comfortable.” You say. You hated to see Steve like this. He was so tired and worried all the time. You just wanted to give him a chance to relax.  
“I’m not kicking you out of your own apartment.” He said.  
“Well it’s practically our apartment with as much as you’re here, number one. And number two, I don’t mind.” You could see him getting ready to retort but you stopped him with a raised hand, “But if you don’t want to kick me out then just bring him here while I’m here. I’d love to meet him. You’ve told me so much about him and I would be honored to meet my competition.”   
When Steve gave you a confused look you just laughed and said, “The competition for who your best friend is. Duh.”  
“You’re both my best friends.” He said with a sigh and a shake of his head, but there was a smile on his face, so you felt like that was a win.  
“But one of us is more your best friend. And I have to meet him so we can have a frenemies relationship where we always try to one-up each other on best friend things because my god you need more friends and the two of us have to take so much shit from you that we’d probably become better friends just by ranting about you and-”  
“OKay! I get it. You’ve made your point.” He said laying his head on the table.  
You had a shit-eating grin on your face when you said: “So does that mean I get to meet him?”  
\----------------  
The next day, though you’d never admit it to Steve, you were a nervous wreck. What if Bucky didn’t like you. What if he felt threatened by the relationship you had with Steve. All these ‘what ifs’ were running through your mind. So you did what you always did when you were stressed. You baked. You made 3 different types of cookies and cleaned the whole kitchen by the time Steve texted you to let you know he and Bucky were on their way.   
Your apartment smelt of baked goods, everything in your apartment was clean, and the last tray of cookies were in the oven. You were biting your nails as your leg shook up and down in nerves. You had put music on to try and distract you but even the sounds of your favorite song did nothing for you as you looked from your phone to the door. You were so deep into your thoughts that the beeper for the cookies went off and you jumped out of your skin. You calmed yourself for a moment before jumping up to pull the cookies out of the oven. Just as you were doing so, you heard the knock on your door. You cursed under your breath as you held the cookie sheet aloft and closed the oven. You jogged over to the door and unlocked the door and opened it a bit to see Steve. You smiled then walked away to put the cookies on the counter as the heat from the pan was starting to seep through the oven mitt.  
“Come on in, I just have to put these down.” You called over your shoulder.   
You heard two sets of feet move in and heard Steve talking lowly to who you assumed to be Bucky. You set the cookies on a little rack to cool on the counter and brushed your hair back out of your face. Taking a few deep breaths to calm yourself, you stepped out of the kitchen into the living room/entryway. There you saw Steve talking to another man.   
“Hey Steve, sorry bout that.” You said, making sure your steps were loud enough so you wouldn’t spook Bucky.   
Steve turned and smiled at you, giving you a hug and a kiss on the cheek as he said, “It’s not a problem. As long as I get to eat some.” He added.  
“Once they’re cooled you can eat as many as your insane metabolism can handle.”  
You turned to look at Bucky to see him shifting on his feet as he looked around the apartment.  
“You must be Bucky, it’s so great to meet you.” You smiled warmly as you stuck your right hand out. He took it and shook your hand gently, looking confused at you.  
“You can make yourself comfortable in the living room. I’ll plate the last of the cookies and bring them in.” You smiled gently at Bucky.  
“The last of the cookies? How many did you make?” Steve asked, his eyebrow raised.  
“Don’t give me that judging look Rogers. I can make as many goddamn cookies as I want in my own apartment thank you very much.” You said defensively.  
He gave you another look and you sighed.  
“Okay, so I was stress baking. Sue me.” You huffed.  
“I’m sorry if me being here stresses you out,” Bucky said.   
You were shocked to hear him talk to you. So shocked that you almost didn’t respond. Once you processed the words he spoke you realized he probably thought you were scared of him.  
“What? Oh I mean no. That’s not. I mean it's like I mean.” You stuttered.  
“You want to use actual words or do you want to just keep babbling.” Steve teased.   
“Fuck off Steven.” You glared before softening your gaze as you looked to Bucky. “I’m not scared of you if that’s what you think. I stress bake over everything for starters. And I was more stressed about finally meeting you. Like Steve’s told me a lot about you and obviously you guys have been really close and Steve’s like my best friend and I just was worried you’d like hate me or something and then Steve would be like in the middle of two friends and that’s just the worst and so I was really stressed about a lot of things I now realize are stupid as I vocalize them but you know and-I’m gonna shut up now.” You trailed off out of breath. Steve laughed and shook his head as he came over to you and pulled you into a hug. He was used to you going into a rant and not breathing until you finished your thoughts. You did it quite often when you got worked up.   
“You crazy woman.” Steve chided as he pulled away from the hug and put his hand on your shoulder.  
“I know, I know. Don’t judge me and come help me get the plates of cookies.” You mumbled. Steve barked out a loud laugh that brought a smile to your face. “Shut uuuup.” You whined as you walked away. You grabbed the last of your platters and plated the last batch of cookies as both Steve and Bucky came into the kitchen/dining area. There were 3 large trays of cookies. Steve shook his head with a smile.  
“Not a word, or else you get no cookies and I give them all to Bucky because he’s not being a jerk.” You threatened, waving your spatula in Steve’s face.  
“Hey, I didn’t say anything.”  
“But you were thinking it.”  
“I’d have to agree, you had the face on that said you were about to be a jerk.” Bucky agreed.  
“I like him. We’re keeping him.” You smiled as you grabbed a tray and headed to the living room.   
“Whaf are phese?” Bucky asked as he came in, a whole cookie shoved in his mouth. You looked at the tray in his hand and saw one of your favorites.   
“Well my family calls them meatball cookies, don’t ask, but they’re gluten-free, egg-free, double chocolate chip cookies.” You explained.  
“Well, they’re incredible.” He said as he finished.  
“Why thank you.” You beamed.  
“Hey no no no, you can’t like them. I will not compete for (Y/N)’s cookies.” Steve said, stealing Bucky’s tray and holding it and the tray he’d grabbed from the kitchen close to his chest and turning away.  
“Too bad,” Bucky said, making a move to try and steal the tray back.  
“Before the two of you make another move, please keep in mind that I will murder both of you if you spill any of those cookies on the floor, let alone two trays full.” You glared.   
Steve contemplated this before putting both trays on the coffee table next to the third tray.   
“Thank you. Now, you can share or you get none and I give the cookies to Sam and Nat.”  
“Hell no.” They both echoed.  
You laughed. They soon joined you as you watched the two settle onto the couch.   
“Now, I’m gonna leave you both to hang out and catch up or whatever. I’ll be in my room. If you need me, holler.” You said, moving to leave the room, a few cookies in your hand.  
“Wait, why’re you leaving?” Bucky asked. You could see next to him, Steve was giving you the look (you know the look where his eyebrows go down and he gets a pouty look, a look you’d fondly dubbed the ‘eyebrows of disappointment’).  
“Well I know you needed to get out of the tower and you probably just want to spend time with Steve so it’s cool. I’ll be perfectly happy with my laptop and some Netflix.” You explained.  
“Oh, yeah okay. That’s fine.” Bucky said, but he seemed upset.  
“No, uh uh, you are going to march your butt over here and plant it on this couch and bond over, how did you word it yesterday? Oh yeah, how much shit you have to deal with because of me.” Steve said. Bucky snorted when he said that.  
“It’s true, I did say that.” You agreed.  
“He does put us through a lot of shit.” Bucky acknowledged.  
“I know, I mean I don’t know how he was when you guys were younger but damn is he a lot to handle.”   
“Oh yeah, he was the worst. He was so tiny but he had to fight everyone. And I do mean everyone.”   
“He is also right here,” Steve commented.  
“Yeah yeah, no one cares. I need details. I need all the blackmail I can get.” You grinned as you plopped between the two men on your couch.   
Little did you know, that was the start of the best thing that would ever happen to you.


	4. Reminiscing

You were shaken from your daydream by arms wrapping around your waist. You realized quickly you'd been up all night as you could see the sun was just starting to peek over the horizon.   
"What're you doing up? I usually have to drag you out of bed this early. And that's with loads of groaning and complaining." Steve remarked.  
"I couldn't sleep last night, so I came out here to think. I guess I stayed up all night." You said, just now feeling the exhaustion.  
"Did you get any sleep?" Steve asked.  
"Uh, no. Not really." You answered.  
"Well let’s get you back to bed then,” Steve said, picking you, you wrapped your legs and arms around him like a koala. He carried you back into your bedroom, laid you down next to your sleeping boyfriend, and tucked you under the blankets before leaving you to get a few hours of sleep.   
Within a moment Bucky had curled around you like a suffocating mass of limbs. You didn’t mind, however, and fell asleep with a smile on your face in minutes.  
\---------  
“Come on you two, it’s passed noon.” Steve sighed as he tried to get you and Bucky out of bed.  
“Don’t care,” You mumbled.  
“Wha’ she said,” Bucky murmured in agreement.  
“Look, I let you two sleep this long. You have to get up at some point.” Steve tried. He’d been attempting to rouse you both for 10 minutes and was thus far unsuccessful. When he had come back from his morning run he figured he’d let you sleep in a little as he knew you were up late, however, he wasn’t about to let you sleep all day.  
“Why tho, can’t we just take a lazy day.” You whined, looking at him with puppy dog eyes.   
“No, no no no. Don’t pull that on me.” He said, his voice firm. But you saw it, his resolve was cracking.  
“But Stebe, pwease?” You pouted, making your eyes extra wide and jutting out your bottom lip.  
“No, come on. Bucky help me out here pal.” Steve asked.  
“Hmmm, no. I’m perfectly comfortable.” Bucky said into your neck where his face was nestled.  
You patted the bed and looked up at him as you burrowed further in the blankets.  
Steve threw his hands up and sighed. “Fine! Fine, you win.”   
“Yay!” you cheered lowly, sleep still fogging your mind.   
You watched as Steve shed his shoes and jeans as he crawled into the bed next to you.   
“You both suck.”   
“Language!” Both you and Bucky quipped.  
“Oh so you can’t get out of bed but you’re awake enough to be assholes.”  
“Always my love. Now shush, we need more sleep.” You said as you put a finger over Steve’s lips and rested your head in the crook of his arm. He sighed but settled in to nap with his two lazy lovers.  
\-------------------  
It was hours later and you and Bucky had woken up, but still refused to leave bed other than for food and potty breaks. You had flipped open your laptop and started going through pictures with the boys. Mostly looking back on your time with them, but eventually coming across pictures of your family and videos of all the various funny moments of your childhood. You narrated them to your boys and they even piped in with stories from their childhood and even some of the happier moments when they were overseas during WWII. The three of you spent what remained of the day reminiscing on your lives, both when you were together and apart.  
You stopped on one picture and froze momentarily. It was of your whole family at your sister’s wedding. It was such a happy day. One that everyone was shocked that it came before your own. Ever since you were a little girl you had fantasied about your dream wedding with your prince charming. Your family had teased you relentlessly about being the only one who was without a date for the event.   
“Wow, that’s a lot of you for just the close family,” Steve remarked.  
“Yeah, it used to just be the ten of us but obviously the family started growing. Lia got married first, straight out of college. Then Zach has had on again off again relationships but he’s been with this girl for a while. We all have bets on how long it’ll take him to propose. Then Tami has been with her husband for nearly 15 years now. They were coming up on 12 years when they finally decided to tie the knot.” You explained. “We were all very close when we were young. This is my mom’s side of the family. We don’t really talk about dad’s. But it was always the ten of us. Weekly game nights, meals out together all the time, vacations. Everything. We started to drift apart once the four of us kids got older, but we eventually started coming back together after a while. It was hard for Tami and I as we are both very different from the rest of our family, but we’ve learned to pick our battles.”  
“What’d’ya mean?” Bucky asked. It was innocent enough, but it made you edgy.   
“Uh, well we just have different views on a lot of things.” You said vaguely. You didn’t want to get into detail. Your family was very judgy and a stereotypical privileged white family. You and your sister were the first two to break out of the mold that your family created, and it was not without a serious amount of backlash. You were eventually able to convert your mom as well as a tiny improvement with your grandmother, but for the most part, they just gave you shit for being different.  
The boys noticed your sudden discomfort and dropped the topic. They were very curious to know more about your family though, so you gladly took them on a trip down memory lane. You even ended up reaching out to your mom for a few more pictures you knew the boys would enjoy. You ordered take out and made a night of it. You told them all about your family. Their quirks and passions. The funny moments where someone fell or hurt themselves being clumsy (one of your favorite memories was when your father fell out of a canoe on a family trip). You told them the sad stuff to. Losing pets that were beloved in the family, and even the rough and now non-existent relationship with your dad’s side of the family.   
Before you knew it, you’d pretty much told them your whole life story. You never realized how little they knew of your past when you knew so much more about theirs. The night drew to a close when you all realized it was the wee hours of the morning, and Steve threatened you both about waking up before noon tomorrow.  
And as you slept between them, they started to wonder. If your family was so important to you and such a big part of your life, why hadn’t you told them about your relationship?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit of backstory on the reader which will lead into the next part of the series. I promise its relevant. Also, this part was completely self-fulfillment but hey, what else is new.


End file.
